Husband and wife team, Joe and Sandra Ellis, head the Kent Karate Schools which established in 1983. As they are coming up to the Schools’ 30th Anniversary, they have produced a special promotional video aimed at potential students, parents, local authorities and other interested parties.

Chief Instructor Joe, and his Assistant Chief Instructor and wife Sandra Ellis, 7th Dan and 5th Dan respectively, have a chain of educational karate clubs within East Kent. The Schools focus on students of all ages, and all abilities, offering a unique educational based system alongside the more traditional self defence based skills.

The short video includes a myriad of images and video snippets covering a range of aspects covered by the Kent Karate Schools, with an inspiring narrative both visually and audibly. Within minutes of the video appearing on the KKS facebook page, a new student had enquired about classes, and positive feedback since its release has been overwhelming. The video also appears on the Schools’ website www.kentkarateschools.co.uk.

Joe said, ‘we are amazed by the feedback we are getting, from our own students to instructors and students within other clubs, and even other martial arts. We are very proud of our instructors and students, and we decided to produce this video to show the public how proud we are of the work we do’.

In particular Joe and Sandra are keen to highlight their team of black belt instructors, many of whom have been with the Schools since childhood and the skills and experience they bring with them. All the instructors have had training in coaching skills, equality awareness, and safety and bullying issues for children, as well as being autism aware.

They are proud to be inclusive and equitable, teaching students of all ages, genders, abilities and have a genuine interest in students with special needs. They have specialist knowledge in teaching students who have autism spectrum or related conditions but are equally keen to teach everyone who is interested in learning.

Joe and Sandra Ellis, are more expert in autism than most as they have both been clinically diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome themselves and pass on knowledge first hand to their instructors and students. Sandra is also undertaking doctoral research into educational aspects of autism within informal education and sport at Sheffield Hallam University.

Sandra said, ‘Joe started the Schools in 1983 and I joined him in 1990. The Schools have progressed nicely over the years and my background of teacher training and dance, as well as the current research I am undertaking for my doctorate, has hopefully enhanced the experience for our students. Joe works tirelessly for the Schools and students and instructors alike have an enormous amount of respect for him. We are a great team’.

If you are interested in joining a class within the Kent Karate Schools, call the office on 01227 370055 or check out the website www.kentkarateschools.co.uk, where you will find the brochure with full details of classes as well as the video.